On April 9, 1865, Robert E. Lee, commander of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, met with Union General Ulysses S. Grant in the parlor of the McLean House in Appomattox, Virginia, to discuss the terms of surrender.
Grant offered generous terms, allowing the Confederate soldiers to return home with their horses, which were essential for the upcoming planting season, and officers could keep their sidearms. This magnanimity helped ease tensions and laid the groundwork for the nation’s reunification.
The surrender at Appomattox didn’t end the Civil War, but it effectively sealed the Confederacy’s fate. Other Confederate forces soon followed Lee’s lead in the weeks that followed. The moment at Appomattox symbolized not just the conclusion of military hostilities, but also the beginning of the long and challenging process of Reconstruction, as the nation sought to heal from the wounds of war.
Today, Appomattox Court House stands as a national historical park, preserved to commemorate this turning point in American history. Visitors can walk the grounds where the surrender took place and reflect on the sacrifices made by both sides.
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